AACZ Ice Climbing Workshop 2025

*Daniel climbing a short pillar of ice to set up some top ropes at the Amphitheatre (Photo Credit Jess)*

After last year’s edition of the AACZ Ice Climbing Skill Transfer Workshop in Cogne nearly fell victim to a severe lack of climbable ice, the 2025 edition started under much brighter stars. The cold temperatures in the weeks leading up to the workshop left us quite optimistic, and when 20 Huttli made the drive into Italy this time, there were considerably fewer skis brought along as backup.

Arriving around noon, most of us started to make our way to the Cascades of Liliaz. We had explored this area last year, given that its approach takes less than half an hour. Back then, we had to resort to dry tooling, but now, climbable ice was to be found! To be fair, not in endless abundance, but some lines here made us very optimistic about finding well-formed ice falls higher up in the valleys. We had the area – known as the amphitheatre – to ourselves, allowing us to set up proper technique drills for the beginners. Overall, this first afternoon resembled a genuine workshop more than it did last year. People were enjoying ice bouldering, focusing on proper kicking, and the one properly formed 10-meter column of ice saw a considerable number of laps on top rope. Still, it was not only ice that got climbed that day, as Harvey and Daniel couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try a steep and difficult-looking dry tooling route to the right of the raging torrent running behind the often thin ice. The route was mostly characterised by its dustiness, but eventually, Daniel managed to fight his way to the top.

In the end, our first day was already much more successful than last year, and everyone was very excited about what the next day would bring. After dinner at the hotel – which included a buffet starter that was so opulent some people were surprised to learn there were more courses yet to come – our group stuck their noses deep into some guidebooks while forming parties and coming up with plans for the next day. The process wasn’t exactly easy with such a large group, but eventually everyone had chosen an objective and climbing partners.

*Heading into the Valnontey Valley with some wind-blown summits in the distance as the harbinger of the spindrift everyone would have to battle that day*

On Friday morning, a large chunk of our group headed into the Valnontey Valley to get on one of the most popular climbs in the area: a WI3+ fall called Patrì. Their hope was that they would find it less crowded than on the weekend. Bas, Janna and Andras even went for the WI4+ variation Patrí de Droite. Some of us, however, headed deeper into the valley. Theresa, Hannes and I had set our mind on the route Monday Money, a WI4 ice fall whose name has nothing to do with currency but with the nearby Alp Money. Once turning upwards from the hiking path, we could soon see a lot of climbers already lined up for climbing Repentance Super. A steep 250 metres of WI6, it is one of the hardest and most coveted routes in the entire valley, but definitely way above our pay grade.

*Hannes leading the second pitch of Monday Money*

However, to our pleasant surprise, there were no people yet at the base of Monday Money, and we had the privilege of being the first ones to climb it that day. Hannes started leading the first pitch when we suddenly saw some familiar faces: Harvey, George, and Tim W. had scrapped their plans to climb Patrì and intended to climb Flash Estivo instead. That was until they discovered that Flash Estivo was among the routes where a climbing ban had been issued due to the breeding activity of some bearded vultures. Consequently, they were now also standing at the base of Monday Money, where a considerable number of people had lined up by the time Theresa and I were following Hannes up the first pitch.

Hannes also led the second pitch until I took over for what would turn out to be the crux pitch of the entire route. The line was steep, delicate, and not always obvious, while a considerable amount of spindrift didn’t make things easier. On the contrary, the sense of adventure was dialled up to the maximum under these conditions, but so was the feeling of reward after reaching the anchor. The next pitch was simply a small transition to the final pitch of the route – which is exposed to the sun after midday and, therefore, often not in condition. This year, however, it presented itself as quite climbable. There were a few delicate moves on some rotten ice at the top, but eventually, you could swing your ice axe with a reassuring thud into the frozen grass at the top of the climb. Here, we even enjoyed a few brief moments of sunshine before beginning our rappels.

*Me climbing into the sun on the final pitch of Monday Money (Photo Credit Theresa)*

We met Harvey, George, and Tim W. at the anchor of the second pitch, which was quite crowded as another party was already taking up a lot of space when we tried to squeeze in. The day was rather advanced, and everyone was now aiming to reach the base of the route. It took some time to sort out the cluster of ropes and lanyards, but eventually, everyone made it down safely. On the walk out, we ran into Christoph, Alicia, Jess, and Tom. They had enjoyed a lovely day climbing Patrí, unlike the one Spanish climber they had seen take a lead fall while ripping out an ice screw in the process. During the walk to the car park, Christoph vividly recounted the tale of witnessing the visibly shaken climber being persuaded to continue climbing by his impassive partner. To conclude, our first day had already seen a great deal of action, with everyone battling their share of spindrift due to the high winds on that day.

During dinner, everyone was eager to make further plans, and the following day, eight of us set out to climb É Tutto Relativo. This climb features some relatively easy pitches, as well as a stellar and steep WI4 column, making it the perfect objective for climbers with varying leading abilities. The weather was still excellent, with a perfectly cloudless sky and the morning light reflecting a golden glow from the mountaintops surrounding the valley. Christoph started on the route with Tom following him, and soon Bas was also climbing with Janna and Andras on his tail. As the last party, Alyssa, Georgia, and I began their climb. The steep pillar forming the second pitch was an impressive formation. The ice was thick and dead vertical, yet the route was nicely picked out from many previous climbers, allowing for a smooth ascent despite its daunting appearance. The final pitch was quite mellow in comparison, and soon everyone was trudging along the exit snow slope.

The day was still young, so we were all on the lookout for more ice to climb. Following the descending footsteps, one could soon see Christoph on the second pitch of an unknown route he had spotted. It featured a rather delicate traverse from the belay but looked promising. By the time Alyssa started climbing the first pitch, the other parties were already beginning to rappel. Passing Alyssa, Christoph seized the opportunity to take some photos in the bright afternoon sunlight and pass her a few additional ice screws along the way. Georgia and I then followed Alyssa but unfortunately had to pass on climbing the more interesting-looking second pitch, as it was now fully exposed to the hot and relentless sun.

*Our siege on the steep 2nd pitch of E Tutto Relativo*

Back at the hotel, eager discussions arose about the day’s adventure, and everyone had a tale to share. The party of Harvey, Tim W., and George – who were by now simply known as «The British Expedition Team» – had ventured deep into the Valeille Valley. After some tough trail-breaking, they left the crowds behind to climb the remote, steep WI5 waterfall called Ecknaton. Tim W. and George, being relatively new to ice climbing, found this to be an ambitious goal, which they nevertheless managed to pull off. Meanwhile, Daniel and Mariana were going for length as well as difficulty. Their objective of choice – Cold Couloir, graded at WI4+ – was no less than 16 pitches long! Furthermore, Jess, Theresa, and Andrés enjoyed a beautiful route that some of us had already climbed last year: Pattinaggio Artistico features a somewhat dubious approach but more than makes up for it with several beautiful moderate pitches around WI3.

The weekend had already been a big success, but everyone was still eager to make plans for the final day. Before we left the dinner table, however, there was a small celebration. Christoph had managed to organise a cake for Jess, who had her birthday a couple of days earlier, and with the help of the friendly hotel staff, we could even complete the surprise with some candles.

On Sunday, many people opted for shorter objectives to return to Zurich at a reasonable hour. But a group consisting of Theresa, Hannes, Christoph, Alyssa, Georgia, and I decided we were finished with Cogne altogether but chose to explore a new valley instead. The Valsavarenche Valley is certainly more secluded than the valleys of Cogne and much less popular; nevertheless, it features some beautiful ice falls. And so, to escape the Sunday crowds, we drove down into Aosta and then headed into the Valsavarenche Valley to reach the base of a WI3 route called Rovenaud. The approach was supposed to take only 15 minutes from the car park. It took a bit longer, including a minor sequence of bushwhacking, but eventually, we stood at the base of the first pitch. It may not have been the most economical decision to have three parties at the same waterfall, but with good company, the waiting didn’t feel that long. Christoph and Alyssa climbed first, with Theresa and Hannes starting after them, while Georgia and I formed the rear of our raid on the ice. The first pitch offered a variety of lines to choose from and felt steep for quite some time before the angle eased off. A bit of walking brought us to the base of the next pitch, where some low-angle ice led us to a belay tucked inside a cosy little cave. From here, you had to make some careful moves traversing towards a short section of hard vertical ice before easier but precarious moves over thin ice brought you to the final belay. It was a pleasant route and the perfect way to conclude four amazing days of ice climbing in Italy.

The weekend turned out to be a greater success than any of us could have anticipated. Some people were swinging tools for the first time while quickly catching the ice-climbing-bug. For others, there were several first lead pitches – a testament to the rapid progression many experienced over the course of the trip. And for many of the already experienced ice climbers, it was the perfect opportunity to further push the envelope of their leading abilities. Until next year!

Madrisa North Face – Tschübel Gully

Piz Cambrena – Joos Couloir